Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is accompanied by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud after the welcome ceremony at the king's private residence on April 11. (Photo by Robinson Ninal)
A migrant rights group has called on Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is visiting the Middle East this week, to seek clemency for overseas Filipino workers on death row.
The Philippine leader vowed on April 10 that he would bring home Filipino workers who had been jailed and pardoned in countries he would visit.
"In the spirit of the Holy Week, we urge President Duterte to actively appeal for mercy and compassion for our [fellow Filipinos]," read a statement by Migrante International.
The group noted that the first Filipino migrant worker who was executed after Duterte came to power was not given proper legal assistance by the previous government.
Jakatia Pawa was executed in Kuwait in January for stabbing her employer's 22-year-old daughter.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, however, said it would not be possible for the president to appeal for clemency on behalf of Filipinos on death row at the moment.
At least 81 Filipino workers are currently on death row in various countries.
In the United Arab Emirates, the country's Court of Appeal's was set to hear on April 12 the case of a Filipino woman who killed her employer in self-defense for allegedly attempting to rape her.